


right here tonight

by Fives (janfives90)



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, New Year’s Eve oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:26:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22061023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janfives90/pseuds/Fives
Summary: “Why do we have to be here?” Emma asks, her voice low and dull as she follows Greg into the Kleins’ New Year’s Eve party.“Because it’s a party, they invited us, and you’re trying to be more social.”Emma stares up at her cousin. “Since when?”
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Comments: 4
Kudos: 73





	right here tonight

“Why do we have to be here?” Emma asks, her voice low and dull as she follows Greg into the Kleins’ New Year’s Eve party.

“Because it’s a party, they invited us, and you’re trying to be more social.”

Emma stares up at her cousin. “Since when?”

Greg grins and puts an arm around her shoulder. “Since I said so.”

She grimaces and pushes him away. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Hey.” Greg gives her a soft look and lowers his voice. “You’ll be okay.”

Emma gives a noncommittal shrug and wanders away from him, letting him go over to talk to some of the other boys on the football team. She picks up a soda and stands against a far wall, drinking it and trying her hardest not to yawn.

“You look like you’ve already had a long day.”

She blinks and turns her head as a girl her age leans next to her, drinking a glass of water.

Emma gulps.

If she wasn’t already gay, she’d sure be gay now.

“Uhm. H-Hi. Uh.” Emma shakes her head and clears her throat.  _ Get a grip, Nolan. _

The girl smiles. “I think you look tired. I don’t think you need to get a grip.”

“Oh, God,” Emma rasps. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

The girl laughs and holds out her free hand. “Alyssa Greene.”

Emma shakes her hand. “Emma Nolan.”

“Are you visiting family for the holidays? I’ve never seen you around Edgewater before.”

“Oh, uh.” Emma clears her throat again and looks down at her soda. “I just moved here, actually. I’m living with my grandmother and my cousin.”

“Nolan… Greg Nolan?”

“Mhm.”

“You must live out on that farm with Mrs. Betsy, then. I see her in church sometimes. She’s really nice.”

“She’s great.” Emma rubs the back of her neck. “She doesn’t need to take care of either of us but she is, so.”

Alyssa nods, and, despite the curiosity in her eyes, doesn’t ask the obvious question. “So. Tell me. Are you really as tired as you look?”

Emma gives a small laugh and nods. “I had to get up at five to help Gran around the farm. I’ve been up since then trying to get my room together and catching up on schoolwork. Most of what I did previous semester is carrying over, but the high school still wants me to do some tests and things so they know where I am.”

“Well, if you need any help, let me know.” Alyssa winks at her and leans in. “I’m at the top of my class.”

Emma blushes. “Er… which class?”

“Junior.”

“O-Oh. Uhm. I’m a junior, too. As long as they still let me in.”

“Then I  _ definitely _ can help.” When Emma yawns again, Alyssa gives her a sympathetic frown. “And I think I can help with that, too.”

“Huh?”

Alyssa grabs her hand and pulls her towards the stairs. “Come with me.”

“Uh… but…”

“It’ll be fine! Kaylee - that’s the Kleins’ daughter - is one of my best friends.”

“Okay, but what are we doing?” Emma asks as Alyssa leads her upstairs.

“You’re taking a nap. You’ll never last until midnight in this state.”

“Yes I-” Emma yawns “-will.”

Alyssa gives her a look over her shoulder.

“Okay, so I definitely won’t.”

Alyssa opens the door to a guest room and shuts it behind them, locking it. She takes Emma’s soda and sets it down on a table, then gently shoves her onto the bed.

Emma goes bright red. “Uh.”

“Shit. I’m so sorry.” Alyssa flushes. “That, uh… That wasn’t meant to be so… forward.” She swallows. “Uhm.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “You can get some rest, and I’ll wake you when it’s almost midnight, okay?”

“Uh. Sure, but…”

“...but what?”

“Why are you helping? We literally just met. We’re at a party; you don’t need to worry about me.”

Alyssa sets her own drink down and rubs her hands together. “I don’t know. You seem like you could use a friend. And to be honest, I don’t really want to be at this party anyway. I like my friends, but most of them aren’t even here. Kaylee went with our friend Shelby’s family on a ski trip.” 

Emma gives a thin smile. “When you’re bored you take pity on new kids?”

Alyssa mirrors her smile. “I suppose you could say that.” She picks up her drink and pats Emma’s shoulder. “Get some sleep, Emma. I’ll see you again in a few hours.”

“I look forward to it,” Emma murmurs, watching Alyssa leave.

* * *

  
“Emma. Emma.  _ Emma!” _

“Five more minutes, Mom,” Emma mumbles.

“In five more minutes you’ll have missed the countdown, Nolan,” Alyssa’s voice says more clearly, amusement thick in her tone.

Emma’s eyes snap open, and she sees Alyssa right in front of her, smirking. “Oh, God.”

Alyssa laughs. “You’re pretty good at saying stuff you don’t mean, aren’t you?”

“Pretty good at embarrassing myself? Yes. Absolutely.”

“It’s not embarrassing. It’s cute.”

Emma sits up, resting her weight on her palms. “I’m glad you think so.”

“I do,” Alyssa says with a grin. She leans back and takes Emma’s hand, pulling her to her feet. “Come on. We should join the others.”

“Aw. You’re way more fun than they are.”

Alyssa laughs. “Come on, Emma Nolan. I have to get you to spend at least two minutes at a party.”

Emma puts up little resistance as Alyssa pulls her out of the room and leads her back downstairs.

“You don’t have some tradition of singing Auld Lang Syne or something, do you?” Emma asks. “I don’t really sing in public.”

“So if I get you alone again I can get you to sing for me? That’s good to know.” Alyssa bumps her shoulder against Emma’s. “Don’t worry. It’s just a countdown and we’re done. Sometimes there’s a kiss at midnight if you have someone.”

Emma chokes. “O-Oh.”

“Something wrong?” Alyssa asks innocently.

“Nope,” Emma says, mentally cursing herself when her voice squeaks.

Alyssa watches her for a moment, a small smile on her face. “Okay.” She picks up another soda and hands it to Emma. “How are you feeling? Any less tired?”

“Honestly, yeah, I feel a lot better. I’ll still be happy to go home and go to bed, but that helped a lot. Thank you.”

“No problem at all.”

They stand silently for a minute, watching the party, Alyssa only interrupting on occasion to point out and name a few of Emma’s future classmates.

“Hey! The countdown’s on!” someone yells from near the television.

Emma puts her drink down, and she tries not to blush as Alyssa leans against her shoulder while the whole party begins to count down.

_ “Ten!” _

_ “Nine!” _

_ “Eight!” _

_ “Seven!” _

_ “Six!” _

_ “Five!” _

_ “Four!” _

_ “Three!” _

_ “Two!” _

_ “One!” _

_ “Happy New Year!” _

Emma grins as Alyssa turns to face her, but before she can say anything Alyssa pulls her forward by the collar of her flannel and presses a soft kiss to her cheek.

As her hands slide down a bit, resting near Emma’s collarbone, Alyssa leans in next to Emma’s ear and murmurs, “Happy New Year, Emma Nolan.”

“U-Uh…” Emma stares at her, face hot, brain blank.

Alyssa takes a small step back, grinning.

“Alyssa! Time to go!” an older woman, presumably her mother, calls from the door.

“Let me know if you need help with that schoolwork,” Alyssa says quietly, still smiling as she turns, heading towards the door.

“H-How am I supposed to…” Emma trails off as Alyssa disappears into the crowd.

She just stands there, confused, until Greg finds her. “Hey. Find anybody you like?”

Emma adjusts her shirt, frowning when she hears a crinkly noise. She reaches into her pocket and takes out a small piece of paper.

With Alyssa’s name and phone number scribbled onto it.

Emma folds the piece of paper and puts it back into her pocket. “Yeah,” she says, trying in vain to stop a wide grin from spreading across her face. “I did.”


End file.
